Parshas Behaalotecha: Dispel the Darkness with the Light of Love

The Torah reading this week, Parshas Behaalotecha: Bamidbar (Numbers) 8:1 - 12:16, continues with a consciousness raising theme, this time related to the lighting of the Menorah in the inner chamber of the Tabernacle. The kindling of the wicks until they remain lit represents a psychic shift from a self conscious human mind to a Divine consciousness that doesn't wane.

This is the only true and lasting remedy for the human mind sickened with ungodly thoughts, a far more effective and long lasting treatment than talk or drug therapy - with no negative side effects!

The first Menorah was fashioned out of a single piece of gold, rather than welded together, and the seven branches all faced the center, signifying a unified Divine consciousness of people capable of dispelling darkness and evil in our world.

Moses instructs the Israelites on the Passover observance, marking the first anniversary of the passing over of the angel of death preparatory to the Exodus from Egypt. At this time, people are dying from injury, exposure, and sickness after leaving Egypt and camping out at Mt. Sinai for months.

Anyone attending to the needs of the deceased becomes ritually impure. Those who are ritually impure due to contact with a human corpse may not participate in the Passover rituals. They complain and demand a modified observance, which is declined. Instead, they are given a chance to purify themselves and observe a second Passover a month later, as is anyone who had been distant from the camp during the earlier observance.

The cloud covering the tabernacle lifts to signal a departure. Trumpets sound. 600,000 military aged men and their families, nearly 2.5 million people, begin their journey into what looks like no mans land. Problems arise on the edges of the camp, a good distance from the holy activities of the priests at the center. People at the perimeter lack moral support for this new way of life introduced to them just a few months earlier. Old ideas and behaviors return, triggering a holy fire that consumes many of them as well as the 70 elders who failed to correct them. 

Inundated and disgusted with complaints from the people, Moses protests to God, who offers to imbue 70 new proven leaders with Moses' spirit who will help Moses keep everyone behaving themselves. So prevalent is the quarreling, even Miriam succumbs by finding fault with Moses' divorce and telling Aaron about it. She is scolded by banishment from the camp with a case of leprosy for a week.

Our Haftorah portion, Zechariah 2:14 - 4:7, reflects the Torah portion by alluding to a vision of a golden seven branched Menorah that will blaze when the God of Israel once again resides in Jerusalem. The rewards will be great after His people repent from their unholy lifestyles and return to living in a Divine consciousness. "Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts."

Whenever I read in the Tanakh about ritual impurity from close proximity to a human corpse, I think about the thousands of people who experience or do abortions, which is the intentional destruction and death of a human body. I think about the spiritual death that happens to post abortive parents, family members, and providers of the deed. Our healing program, Tikvat Rachel, address this problem in the Jewish community. Until the spiritual death of everyone involved is acknowledged and addressed, society will continue to suffer. 

God gives us many chances. His mercy always offers healing for people who have little or no idea how they will suffer after abortion, but who seriously lament the decision and return to Him. Tikvat Rachel, is available to mothers and fathers who seek help.

Even those who will not concede guilt are not a lost cause. They may be reached through persistent peaceful and loving outreach as Aaron, our patriarch, modeled for us. Aaron's life teaches that a person should pursue peace in Israel among all men in the same way that he pursued peace in Israel among all men; as it is stated in Psalm 34:14, Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. (Avot DeRabbi Natan 12:6)

We're all about that approach at the JPLF, always working to share our message of life affirming Judaism with Jews and non-Jews, here and in Israel. God loves all of us, even those who don't agree with us!

Please share this post on your social media to amplify our message in this troubled world. Thank you.

Cecily Routman

May there be abundant peace from Heaven, and good life upon us and upon all Israel. Amen.

Cecily Routman is the founder and president of the Jewish Pro-Life Foundation. She opposes abortion homicide in general and among Jews in particular and laments secular policy making in Israel that results in loss of Jewish life and delays the messianic redemption. She envisions a Torah based holy Land of Israel and a world that respects the life of every human being from conception.